A grandfather named Steve sent in this photograph that has brought him joy during these times. It is an arrangement of Matchbox cars set up by his 11-year-old grandson Eli.

One of my great passions is history, particularly American history. I find comfort and inspiration in looking back and seeing how Americans have endured through difficult times and, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, been touched by our better angels.

On Farm to Market Road between Floorsville and La Vernia, Texas, there’s a landmark that everybody knows. Directions around those parts go something like this: “You’ll want to turn left at the Volkswagen in the tree.”

There’s no way you can look at that photo without smiling.

Connie Spaid was in high school when her grandmother taught her how to crochet. That is probably how most people learn an art like crocheting, something that to most might seem quaint, maybe even a bit outdated. Connie certainly never thought of it as anything more than that. She learned two basic stitches, enough to piece together a simple pattern on her own, and she was happy to know how to do it. She could add that to her creative skill-set.